


I Think There's A Flaw in my Code

by Kymiex



Category: Jacksepticeye Fandom, Markiplier fandom - Fandom, Youtube RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Androids, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, He could have been an engineer, I guess technically he's a Replica, Jack is an android, M/M, Mark is an Engineer, Minor Character Death, Oh wait, Robot Feels, Robot/Human Relationships, Robots, So much angst, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-08-18 05:32:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8150831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kymiex/pseuds/Kymiex
Summary: "Are we- We're rolling? Okay, I- Take 1!Does your alarm clock wake you up by screeching like th-the actual spawn of Satan? Are you literally at war with your own vacuum? Android acting like it's possessed by every single demon, ever? Bring them to Markiplier's Repair Shop! I'll fix- If I can't fix, you might- Maybe you should just buy a new one! But I might be able to fix it!God, that was horrible. Wait, what do you mean I can't do more than one take? That was a joke!"When one of Mark's friends finds a broken-down android and brings it to him to fix, Mark isn't expecting the change in his life that the strange android is about to make. This odd, green-haired android flips his entire life upside down, and there's nothing Mark can do to stop it. Thing is, he doesn't want to stop it.





	1. Chapter 1

Mark groaned softly as his alarm started to go off, and he rolled onto his side. 'Okay, alright, I'm up..' The chirpy voice of his alarm clock- way too damn happy for it to be this early in the morning. He should really fix that- alerted him that it was 6am. 'I know, I'm up.. You can stop.' 'But Mark. You are not yet out of bed. If I allow-' Mark groaned again, ignoring the alarm, and he rolled out of bed, heading for the bathroom. 'There, see? I'm up.' 

It was the same every morning- His alarm clock got him up, he got dressed and grabbed a bite to eat on his way out the door, then headed for his shop. 

It wasn't a very taxing job- it also wasn't exactly the highest paying job. He made enough to get by, but when his job consisted mostly of repairing people's burned out toasters, fixing clocks or whatever people managed to break? It.. Wasn't what he had expected when he decided to become an engineer. 

It was great when he first opened the shop- It wasn't like he didn't like what he did anymore, but these days it just felt like a normal job. All his life he'd heard 'If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.' and sure, it hadn't seemed like work at first. Then.. Well, after a while, he got into a routine that he hadn't been able to get out of. It was the same, every day. Wake up, grab something to eat on his way out the door, go to the shop, fix little things for his customers, go home, tinker with whatever little project he was working on, go to bed, rinse, repeat. 

If only he knew how different today was going to be. 

When he got to the shop, today, he was greeted by the sight of one of his old friends, Jon. They'd met in school, before Mark decided to become an engineer. In fact, it was Jon's old robot bird, Jacques, that had inspired Mark to get a degree in engineering. The old thing was constantly overheating or breaking, and Mark had been fixing the bird for years. 

'Mornin', Jon. Somethin' wrong with Jacques again?' Jon glances at the bird on his shoulder. 'Ech, other than bein' an asshole? Nah.' The robot bird shuffled on Jon's shoulder. 'Hey. You programmed me to be this way. You dick. Kiss my feathery ass.' Jon frowned, but turned back to Mark. 'Anyways, I found this android in the alley behind my house. I couldn't get 'im t' power up, so I decided t' bring 'im t' you. I was kinda hopin' you could fix 'im up, y'know, or I could sell 'im to ya for parts or whatever.' 

Mark chuckled softly, and shook his head. 'Sure, Jon. Lemme open the shop and I'll help you get him inside.' 

Mark unlocked the door, whistling softly to alert his tiny helper robot that he was there. 'Tim, buddy, can you come hold the door for me?' An excited whirring came from behind the counter, and moments later, Mark's self-made helper bot came speeding around the corner, purring its excitement as it circled Mark. 

'Aw, there's my little biscuit! I missed you too, buddy.' He picked up the little box, carrying it to the door, and he nudged the door open with one foot, gently putting Tim down. 'Okay, Jon and I have to get this android in. You're gonna be my good little helper and hold the door open for me, right?' Tiny Box Tim- Mark's affectionate nickname for what was essentially a small, AI driven toolbox- whirred determinedly and planted itself on the floor, holding the door open with all its might. 

Mark grinned, and went out to help Jon unload the android. Jon had it wrapped in a sheet, and Mark snorted. 'Cause, y'know, this doesn't look suspicious at all, Jon.' 'Hey, look, I had to get 'im in the car by myself, okay? Jacques wasn't exactly helpin' me pick it up.' 

Despite what Jon said, though, it was surprisingly light. As they carried it inside, Mark looked toward Jon. 'Is it damaged? It's so light. Normally androids are a lot heavier.' Jon shrugged. 'I dunno. I figured it was a newer model, cause it isn't damaged much. There's some normal wear and tear, and it's dirty, but..' Mark nodded his head toward his work bench. 'Just set it on the bench there.' Together, they hoisted the android into the bench, and Jon glances at his watch. 

'As much as I would love to stick around and watch you work your magic on this thing, I gotta go. I'm.. Meeting somebody, and I'd rather not be late.' Mark raised an eyebrow. 'Got a date this early in the day?' 'Ech, it's not a- I'm just- I'm.. Meeting Arin.' 

Mark let out a shocked noise. 'You and Arin are back together?' 'We're not- It's just- We're.. Working things out. Don't jinx it, Mark.' 

After saying goodbye to Jon and heading back inside the shop, Mark scooped up Tiny Box Tim and carried the toolbox around as he flipped on all the lights. 'You ready for the day, my little biscuit?' The tiny toolbox whirred happily, and Mark put the toolbox down on the work bench. 

Mark had a few things he had to work on before he was free, but they weren't big projects. An alarm clock with a broken voice chip, a broken refrigerator that kept shooting ice cubes at people- just easy fixes like that. Still, it's about an hour before noon before he gets enough free time to finally move over to the work bench where the blanketed android lay. 

Mark carried Tiny Box Tim over to the work bench, sitting the curiously chirping AI down, before starting to tug the blanket off of it. 

When he finally tugged the blanket fully off of the android, Mark whistled in awe. 

Jon had good reason to assume it was a new model. Normally, androids had visible joints, occasionally wires or charging ports, but this one.. Aside from the parts of the skin that had been torn, or worn away to expose the wires underneath, this one looked human. He was obviously custom made, too- His hair was a bright green that reminded Mark of grass. 

It took him several minutes of poking and prodding, but Mark let out a pleased noise when his fingers finally pressed in a panel, and it slid open to reveal the android's charging port, on the back of his neck. Mark did notice, as he plugged a spare charging cord into the android, that it was just an emergency charger port, and beside it, an emergency power button. That meant the android was usually charged by something else. 

All Mark could do for now was wait until the android charged enough to power him on. 

By the time Mark comes back from his lunch break, he decides the android has probably had enough time to charge, at least enough to power it on. 

He steps over to the work bench, standing in front of the android, and presses the power button. Stepping back, he picks Tim off of the workbench, patting it gently as it whirs against his chest. 

'Shh, it's okay, buddy.' Mark frowns as he hears a soft whirring coming from the android. It sounds like a broken fan- something that probably caused the poor thing to overheat. 

After a few moments, the android jerks to life, gasping. Wide blue eyes glance around, and as soon as they land on Mark, the android yelps. 'Dia! Lord Jaysus-' Mark steps back, shocked. An accent chip? That's rare. And was that.. Irish? 

Even more shocking was the fact that the android acted.. Scared. Like he was a human. 'Whoa, whoa, it's okay. Hey, it's- Calm down. Do you know where you are? Can you give me a statistics report?' 

The android gasped for breath- Air powered, then? This certainly was a strange one. 'I.. I'm.. I don't know where I am.' Broken GPS chip. Mark nods. 'Can you tell me your name?' 'It's.. Jack. My name is Jack.' 

Against Mark's chest, Tim chirps in curiosity. 'My name's Mark. This is a repair shop. You were found in an alley with all your power drained. Do you remember what happened?' 

The android stares at Mark for a moment, and it shakes its head. 'I.. I know I was trying to find someone, but.. I don't know who. Or why.' 

'Man, you need a lot of work.. Broken GPS chip, faulty memory chips, whatever's making that noise in your chest..' The android looked.. frightened. 'I- I'm broken..? A-are you going t' deactivate me?' 

If Mark didn't know any better, he'd say there was real fear in the android's voice. 'Deactivate you? No, I'm gonna fix you. I've got some spare GPS chips, and if I can figure out what's making the noise, I can fix it. I might have to order the memory chips, depending on what kind you use.' Wide, blue eyes focused on Mark. 'You're.. Gonna fix me?' Mark smiled. 'Yeah.. That's kinda what I do. I'm an engineer.'

Jack stared up at Mark in awe, and the engineer cleared his throat. 'Can you give me a status report? Other than the GPS and memory chips, can you tell me anything else that's wrong?' Jack reached up with his right hand. 'My left shoulder is-' His left arm laid still at his side, and Mark nodded. 

'Do you mind if I open you up?' The android looked scared again, shuffling backward in the work bench. 'O-open me up? Are- Is it gonna hurt?' Mark stared in confusion. An.. Android was worried about something hurting? 'Do.. Do you have pain sensors?' Jack frowned. 'I.. I guess so? My chest hurts..'

This was the strangest android Mark had ever seen. Pain sensors, an accent chip, custom designed, and programmed to simulate fear, possibly other emotions? Somebody had to be losing their mind over this android being missing. He had to be worth a fortune. 

'Jack, do you know who belong to, by chance?' The android's eyebrows furrow, and he looks down. 'I.. I belong to.. To..' He huffed. 'I don't remember!' 

Mark stepped forward, placing Tiny Box Tim on the work bench, and the little toolbox whirred over to Jack, chirping up at him. When Jack looked down, Tim let out a pleased whir, nudging itself against his damaged arm. 

'Hi, there..' Jack said softly, smiling. Mark smiled. 'He's always excited to meet new friends. His name is Tim. Tiny Box Tim. He's my helper around the shop, and my toolbox. Tim, buddy, show Jack.' 

The small AI let out an excited chirp, and its small robot arms raised up as its lid slid open. It grabbed a pair of pliers, and raised them triumphantly to Mark, who grinned as he took them. 'Good job, my little biscuit!' 

Mark looks back to Jack, who's staring warily at the pliers Mark has in his hand. 'I'm gonna open you up now, okay? Let me know if anything.. Hurts, and I'll try to stop.' It was odd, the thought that this android could actually differentiate between pain and other feelings. He was such an odd android. 

'Can you turn around so I can get to your back? And lift your shirt for me.' Jack nodded and complied, though it was hard for him to raise his shirt with his left arm immobile. Mark slid a hand down Jack's spine, and he pretended not to notice the little shudder that ran through the android's form as he did. His fingers pressed in a panel between the shoulderblades, and Mark had to push Jack's shirt up a bit more to get to it. 

When he opened the panel fully, he could do nothing but stare in awe. Custom made androids were usually impressive inside, but.. Jack was amazing. He had- Not only a fan-driven coolant system where a person's lungs would be, but a bright green, softly pulsing power core where his heart would be. 

'Wow..' Tim chirped in curiosity, and Mark lightly patted the top of his toolbox. 'Don't be rude, buddy.' Jack glanced over his shoulder. 'Is it- Can ye fix me?' Mark looked up and smiled. 'Yeah, don't worry. I'm gonna start with your coolant system, cause I think it might be making you overheat.' 

It took nearly forty-five minutes for Mark to get everything fixed that he could, in Jack. The fan needed to be replaced, he had to change out a set of wires that had been snapped in his left arm, the GPS chips needed to be replaced.. 

Mark finally snapped the panel shut, and stepped back. 'Alright, Jack. How do you feel?' The android slid off the work bench, and started to move around, windmilling his arms and laughing as he moved. 'I feel fuckin' great! I didn't even realize how bad I felt 'til ye fixed me. Thanks, Mark!'

Mark grinned at the android as it bounced around the shop like an excited child. He was about to offer to fix the faulty memory chips when a customer walked in, carrying what looked like a small, black Scottish Terrier. Mark's attention was instantly on the dog. 

'Oh, no.. Again?' The customer- A pleasant looking woman, probably in her early forties, just smiled and shook her head, black curls bouncing around her shoulders. 'Sometimes I think you made his AI work too well, Mark. He was chasing a squirrel and ran right through the sprinklers. Could you- Please?'

Mark nodded, taking the dog from her, and whistled softly. 'Tim, c'mere, buddy.' The little box chirped in response, and Jack watched it almost drive right off the edge of the work bench before it stopped itself, whirring in frustration. 

The android glanced over at Mark, who was opening a panel on the dog's side, then back to Mark's toolbox, who was chirping and whirring in distress. Jack gently picked Tim up, lightly putting him on the floor, and Tim whirred over to Mark, chirping happily and offering the engineer a screwdriver. 

The woman turned her focus to Jack while Mark worked on her dog, and Jack shuffled nervously. After a few moments, the woman stepped over to Jack, taking his wrist. The android had to force himself not to pull away, but her touch was gentle as she looked over his arm. 'Mark, honey, is he yours? He's awfully damaged. What have you done to him?' 

Mark let out a strangled noise, his shoulders tensing. 'He's not- Jon found him, he's- I haven't had a chance to fix everything yet. I'm an engineer, not a miracle worker.' 

The woman looked up, meeting Jack's eyes with her own. 'What's your name, sweetie?' 'J-Jack, ma'am..' She smiled. 'I like this one, Mark. Can you copy his accent chip? I want one.' She winked at Jack then. 'His skin feels so life-like. Are you new, dear?' Mark glanced over his shoulder, giving Jack a reassuring smile. 'I think he might be a replica, actually.'

Jack looked at Mark in shock, and the black-haired woman whistled softly. 'Wow. What makes you think that?' 'His power core. His entire torso is designed to look just like a human's- His coolant system is where his lungs would be, and his power core looks like a heart. But the energy inside is a color I've never seen before- It's really impressive. Way too advanced for him to be a typical android.' 

Jack frowned slightly. 'Replica.. I should know that word. What does it mean?' Mark snapped the panel shut, and fiddled around under the dog's collar for a moment before it powered on, barking happily. 

'It means you're a very advanced android.' The woman answered, and Jack looked up at her curiously as she continued. 'Replicas are usually modelled after a living person. They're extremely expensive to have made, as they're all designed with being identical to the human they were modeled after in mind. It's very odd that someone would let you get into this kind of disrepair, though..' 

Mark stepped over, handing the dog back to her, and he gave her a sad little smile. 'Keep him out of water for tonight, and I'll order some water-proof sealant for him. Bring him back by tomorrow.' She smiled at Mark, lightly patting his cheek. 'Thank you, Mark, honey.' 'You're welcome, Mom.' 

After Mark's mom left, Mark had to get back to work. 'I've got some work to do, so.. If you need anything, you can either ask me, or Tim might be able to help. Just.. Be careful, okay? And don't wander too far.' 

Jack nodded, and he finally settled on sitting on the counter, looking around the shop while Mark worked on the things his customers needed to have fixed. From time to time, whenever there was a customer, while Mark talked to them, Jack would play with Tim, who seemed excited to have another AI around. 

After the sun went down, Mark finally stepped away from his work bench, stretching and letting out a soft groan. He frowned slightly at Jack, who had Tim in his lap. The little toolbox was chirping happily up at Jack, who smiled back down at the toolbox, humming little tunes to him so Tim could whir a matching tune. 

'Jack?' Reaching up to push his green fringe away from his face, Jack looked up at Mark with a smile. It floored Mark, just how human this android was. He seemed to have genuine feelings, and that was enough to stun the engineer. 'Yes, Mark?' Hesitating, Mark cleared his throat. 'It's- I have to go home now, so-' 

Jack's shoulders slumped, and his smile was gone instantly. It was like watching the sun set all at once. 'Oh. Of course, I-' 'D'you-.. Wanna come with me? I mean.. If I leave you here, you'd be alone, and.. Well, I mean, you'd have Tim to keep you company, but he has to charge, so..' Jack could do nothing but stare at Mark. 'Ye want me t' come home with you?' He asked, his voice soft. 

'Well.. yeah. If you want to.' Mark's heart gave a little flutter when Jack's smile spread back across his face. 'I would like that, very much. Thank you, Mark.'

Jack seemed sad to leave Tim behind, but the little robot wheeled itself over to its charging station, settling into it, and it waved to them before shutting down. 

'You really like him, huh?' Mark asked as they walk back to his house. 'Who, Tim? Yeah! He's the cutest little thing. I- I'd say I'd like one of m' own, but that's silly.. Whoever heard of an Android havin' its own robot?' Jack laughed, but he looked down as he pulled at the hem of his shirt. 

'Well.. Maybe once I get you fixed up, I can make you one. Just as a.. A companion. Something that wouldn't need much maintenance, y'know?' Jack froze in his tracks, staring at Mark, who stopped a few feet ahead of the android. 'Are you serious? You could make me something like Tim?' Mark smiled. 'Well, yeah.. I made Tim kind of on a whim, but he was programmed to be my helper. For yours, I could make it just to be your companion.. A friend.' 

If Mark didn't know any better, he'd think Jack was about to cry. 'That's.. That's so nice, Mark.. I don't know what to say. Thank you..' Mark smiled. 'No problem. Now, c'mon. I'm gettin' kinda hungry.' Jack jogged forward to catch up to Mark, and they headed for the engineer's house. 


	2. Artificial Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark does some more work on Jack, and he makes a shocking discovery.

Mark groans softly as he rolls over in his bed. He doesn't hear his alarm going off, and when he looks up at it, he realizes it isn't quite time for it to go off. So, what had woken him? He rolls onto his back, rubbing his face, and that's when it registers. 

What had woken him was the smell of food cooking- Something that Mark had actually forgotten. The last time he smelled real food cooking- was before he moved out of his mom's house. These days he relied entirely on his Nutri-Matic- Like many other people did. It was a handy machine, a food synthesizer. All you had to do was provide it with the name of what you wanted and it would make it, within the span of a few minutes. 

Curious and now hungry, Mark slid out of bed, yawning and wondering sleepily if he could fix his apparently broken Nutri-Matic before work. 

When he stepped into the kitchen, though, he was greeted to the sight of Jack, standing at the oven and prodding at something in a pan. 'How can you not know how he likes his bacon? You cook for him every day.' He was talking to the Nutri-Matic, which let out an oddly offended whistle. 'I know that! I'm just sayin', humans like their food differently, depending on-' The Nutri-Matic let out another shrill whistle, and Jack whipped around to look at Mark. 

'Oh! Mark, I- I'm sorry, I didn't- Um, g'mornin!' Mark took a few steps forward, rubbing his eyes. 'What are you doing?' Jack glanced at the pan nervously. 'I-I was talkin' to some of your AI during the night, and- Well, the Nutri-Matic was tellin' me that you never sit down to eat breakfast before work, and I thought.. Well, y've done so much for me already, so I thought th' least I could do would be cook for ye.'

Mark stared at the android in disbelief. 'You.. You made me breakfast?' Jack nodded slowly, like he thought Mark would be mad, and the android pointed toward the table. Mark turned, and there, laid out on the table, were plates of sausages, waffles, a bowl of fruit, glasses of milk and even a bowl of Mark's favorite cereal. 

'I made bacon, too.' Jack said softly, pulling the pan from the stove top. 'I.. D'you like it?' Mark turned, grinning. 'I love it, Jack. Thank you. I don't remember the last time I actually had food like this. Most of the time I just pick pre-cooked food, I never bother cooking it myself.'

Mark's starting to realize just how different Jack is. Replicas are rare- Jack is the first one he's ever encountered, and he's making it more and more obvious just how different he is from a normal AI. 

It wasn't like normal AIs were stupid- Technology has come far enough that it isn't difficult to get emotion chips for your android, or any other AI that you might want to have emotions. It was just.. Different. Androids could be programmed, and AI could be taught new things, but they generally didn't learn or change like humans did, and they certainly didn't go out of their way, deviate from their programming to learn new things. And for an AI to choose to do something without permission or instructions to do so was unheard of. At the end of the day, they were just programs. But Jack.. Jack had spent his night talking to Mark's various AI around the house to learn how to repay Mark for his kindness. He had chosen to make breakfast for him, when he didn't have to.

Mark was captivated by Jack. The realization that this android- No, this Replica- could learn, and possibly even really feel the emotions he portrayed? Made Mark giddy with excitement and curiosity. He wanted to get inside this Replica and see what made him tick. Of course, he'd need Jack's permission for that. Jack's far too human. It just wouldn't feel right to pick him apart without his consent. 

Mark plows through the breakfast Jack made for him- He enjoys it immensely, but he wants to hurry and get to his shop. The packages he ordered last night have already arrived, and.. Well, to be honest, he wants to ask Jack if he can take another look inside him. The Replica still has a few things Mark needs to fix for him- He wants to take another look at the parts he replaced yesterday, to make sure everything was working properly, but.. He also wants to take a peek inside Jack's head. 

He knows how androids work- he repairs them day in and day out, not to mention having built Tiny Box Tim from the ground up. But Jack is just so different. He's something new and exciting, and it's gotten Mark excited to go to work for the first time in.. Forever. 

Not to mention, he wants to start on the surprise he has planned for Jack. 

Once Mark changes out of his pajamas, he all but drags Jack out the door. 'W-wait, th' store doesn't even open for another hour! Mark, wh-' Mark grins over his shoulder at Jack. 'Yeah, but today's gonna be a good day, I can feel it! We have a lotta work to do, Jackaboy! C'mon, let's go!' Mark's excitement is infectious, and Jack laughs as he runs after the engineer. 'Wait fer me!' 

Mark whistles for Tim as soon as he steps foot in the door, and Jack slips in behind him, watching Mark lock the door again. Tim lets out an excited chirp as he comes from behind the counter, his tiny wheels making an adorable little 'screech' on the floor when he spots Jack. The tiny AI whirs quickly over to the Replica, who is quick to scoop him up, grinning. 'Top o' th' mornin' to ya, Tim!' 

The tiny AI extends his arms, chirping happily to Jack as Mark walks around the counter, flipping the lights on as he goes. 'Jack, I have a few things to do first, but if it's alright with you, I'd like to open you up again today. It wouldn't be for very long- I just want to check that everything's running smoothly and the repairs I did yesterday are working normally.'

Jack goes still, looking down at the tiny AI in his arms. Tim lets out a soft, questioning coo, and Mark watches his AI put a hand on Jack's arm. Jack finally looks up at Mark, and he hesitates before answering. 'I don't.. like being opened up. But I know ye just want t' make sure I'm runnin' properly, so.. Ye can open me up if ye need to, Mark.' 

Mark suddenly understands Jack's hesitation- It must be a scary thing, to have everything you are exposed to someone you barely know, to have them literally reaching inside you to pull out parts that don't work, and Mark clutches his stomach. 

It wasn't so long ago that he had that done to him. The hospital stay hadn't been long, and the surgery was successful, but.. He remembered the fear that had shot through him like electricity when the doctor said he needed surgery. 

He steps toward Jack, lightly touching his shoulder, and he ignores the twist in his chest when the Replica looks up at him with wide, scared eyes. 'Jack, I promise, I'll take care of you.'

Jack stares at Mark for a moment before nodding. 'Okay. Thanks, Mark.' 

Mark has Jack sit on the workbench with his back to the engineer, and the android pulls his shirt off without Mark telling him to. Tim seems to be trying to comfort Jack- The tiny AI sits close to Jack's thigh, only scooting away from the android to hand Mark a tool he needs, then quickly moving back. 

Mark opens the panel on Jack's spine, and quickly looks over the repairs he did yesterday. When he finishes looking over them, he pauses to take a closer look at Jack's energy core. He's desperate to know what makes him run, even though he feels guilty for keeping the Replica open any longer than he has to. 

The soft, pulsing green light of Jack's energy core is captivating- Its bright glow is like watching a real heart beat, and Mark can almost imagine the soft 'thud, thud' with each pulse. Following the cables and tubes that connect to it, Mark quickly realizes what kind of system runs his green-haired friend. 

There are no less than three different systems that have to be working properly for Jack to have power. He has a primary coolant system- Tubes of blue liquid that lead back to his energy core, which powers the other two systems. If he has an initial charge, his energy core is self-sustaining- Mark is awestruck. He's heard of systems like Jack's, but never seen one. It charges itself indefinitely with the help of the other two systems, acting almost like a heart. He has a secondary coolant system, which is air-based. If one system stops working, the other coolant system can keep him going, but only for so long. His energy would continuously drain and he would eventually power down if one of the systems stopped. 

That must have been what happened to him before. His air-based system hadn't been working properly before yesterday, and if Mark hadn't fixed it, he would have just drained his energy again. 

Jack looks over his shoulder at Mark, and his voice cracks slightly as he speaks. 'Is it over..?' Mark lightly pats Jack's back. 'Almost. I just have one more thing to check, and then we'll be done. You're doing so good, I'm really proud of you.' Jack smiles, and looks back down at his lap. 

Mark slides two fingers up the back of Jack's neck, forcing a gasp from the Replica's mouth when the little panel at the back of his skull opens. 'Almost done, I promise. Keep-' Mark cuts himself off with a gasp. 

He hadn't known what to expect when he looked inside Jack's head, but he certainly wasn't expecting what he found. 'What is it? Is something wrong? Mark?' 

Inside an android's head, is a very basic CPU. It can be added to- memory chips, emotion chips, extra space for teaching them new tasks. Fundamentally, a standard computer. One specifically designed to house an AI, but a computer nonetheless. 

What Mark found inside Jack's head, however.. Was as far from a standard computer as Mark had ever seen. It was a menagerie of cables, wires, tubes, all encasing what Mark could only describe as a brain made up of motherboards and processors. It was amazing. 

Being as gentle as he could, Mark reaches out and slowly pushes aside a cluster of wires, and there, hiding at the base of the 'brain', were Jack's memory chips. 'Oh god. Oh, no..'

The memory chips he assumed were faulty, are completely smashed. Cracked and broken, parts of them pulled out completely. 

'Mark..? What is it?' Mark takes a deep breath, surveying the damaged chips. 'Your memory chips.. They're broken. It looks like somebody tried to pull them out, and when they couldn't, they just.. smashed them.' Mark whistles for Tim, and taps the top of his toolbox twice when the tiny AI whirs over to him. A small compartment opens, full of memory chips. 'Jack, I can't fix these. I can give you new memory chips, but I won't be able to restore what you had. The data's gone.. I'm sorry..'

Jack is silent for a moment, but he finally nods. 'Replace them, Mark. If the data's gone, there's.. Nothin' else t' be done about it.' Mark puts a hand on Jack's shoulder in a manner he hopes is reassuring. Jack's hand lightly touches the top of Mark's, just for a moment, and when it pulls away, Mark feels an unfamiliar pang in his chest. 

He pulls his hand back and starts working on the broken chips. There are two that made it out unscathed- And those are probably the only reason Jack has any idea who he is. It takes the better part of a half hour to retrieve all the broken pieces and replace them with new ones, but Mark is finally able to get the last one installed, and he lets out a sigh. 'All done. Lemme just put everything back together, and-' Mark trails off when he catches sight of a piece of tape stuck to the underside of a cable. He tilts his head, trying to figure out what it could be for, and he sees faded writing on it.

A thrill shoots through him when he recognizes what it is. It's something he does, too. On the rare occasion he has to fully disassemble an android, he labels every individual piece with a piece of masking tape with the owner's name on it. Usually, the pieces of tape are removed before everything is put back together, just in case the tape interferes with the delicate systems. 

Carefully and slowly, Mark pulls the tape from the cable, and he closes the panel on Jack's neck before he looks down at the faded writing. 

'Seán McLoughlin.' Jack turns, confusion in his eyes. 'That name.. sounds familiar..' Mark looks up, locking eyes with the android, and he hands over the little scrap of tape. 'Jack, I think.. I think that's who you belong to.'

'So.. So we can find him, right? Please, it can't be that hard, right? We know his name, so we can find him. Please, Mark-' Mark pushes a hand through his black hair, and sucks in a deep breath. 'Jack. I know you want to go find your owner, but you're not fully repaired yet, and I can't just leave the shop in the middle of the day to help you find him. Tomorrow, I promise, I'll close the shop for the day and we'll find your owner, but we just can't do it today. Okay? I'm sorry.'

Jack looks down, clutching the piece of tape with his owner's name on it like his life depended on it, and he nods slowly. 'I-I'm sorry, Mark. I'm just- I got overexcited. Thank ye so much for helping me, if it weren't for you, I-' The green-haired android looks up at Mark, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around the engineer. 'Thanks, Mark.'

Smiling, Mark pats the Replica's back, even if he feels like his heart is sinking into his stomach. If they find Jack's owner.. Then Jack will leave.. And just the thought of Jack leaving hurts Mark in ways he doesn't think he's ever experienced. His voice is soft when he speaks, finally, and he prays Jack doesn't notice when his voice cracks. 'You're welcome, Jack.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter is short. Is it short? It's shorter than I'd like it to be, at least. But I really just needed to get it up so I could try to move on with the rest of the fic. My writer's block is killing me right now- I am so, so sorry this took as long as it did to get up. I am going to try my best to get the next chapter up quicker, and hopefully it'll be longer. 
> 
> Things are about to kick off! They know who Jack belongs to now, they just have to go find him! 
> 
> So, I'm gonna take this little space here to say-  
> As of very recently, I now run a Jacksepticeye ask/rp blog! If you have any questions or you'd like to rp or just chat with 'Jack', or whatever, drop by! I am weeIrishgreenbean.tumblr.com Come say hi!
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for coming, if you liked it, PUNCH that kudos button in the face, LIKE A BOSS!  
> And, high fives all around. *wa-pish, wa-pish*  
> So thank you and I will see all you dudes.. In the next chapter!


	3. Part of a Machine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark has to come to terms with the fact that he has to let Jack go.

"Well.. I mean, you have to give him back to his original owner, Mark. You can't just keep him. Especially of he wants to go back to this Seán or whoever." 

Arin is saying, frowning from the screen that illuminates Mark's dark room. Danny is sitting beside him, and they're both watching Mark pace around his room in distress. 

"I know that, it's just.." Mark sighs. He knows he's being ridiculous. Selfish, even. He was getting so used to having Jack here with him. He liked the company, he liked.. 

"Maybe you should think about getting an android of your own, Mark." Danny pipes up, and Arin nods as he glances over at Dan. "I mean, you clearly like having Jack around, so maybe you need more than just Tim?"

Mark sighs, finally sitting on the edge of his bed. "No, guys, you don't understand. It's just.. Him." It was so hard to explain it to his friends. How could he explain it to them when he could barely understand it himself? He buried his face in his hands, and didn't see his friends glance to one another, concern in their eyes. 

"Mark..? Are you.. Falling in love with Jack?"

Danny's voice makes Mark freeze. His heart seems to stop in chest, and a denial is spilling from his lips before he even has time to fully process the idea. 

"God, no! C'mon, guys, don't be stupid! He's just.. Wires and code. H-he isn't.." He isn't real, he means to say. But he can't make himself spit the words out. 

Because, it isn't what he really feels. He's surrounded himself with machines all his life, made it his career to give them their own thoughts and feelings. So how can he say Jack isn't real?

He shakes his head, reaching up to end the call. "I gotta go, guys, we have an early morning tomorrow." With that, he ends the call, the glow of the hologram flickering from existence, and he's left in his darkened bedroom with nothing but his thoughts. 

It's crazy, isn't it? To fall in love with a robot. It isn't.. Unheard of. There are pleasure bots filling the shadier side of the city, and there are stories of people falling in love with Replicas from time to time. But.. Is that the reason he feels this way? Could he really be falling in love with a Replica?

There's a soft knock on his bedroom door, and he looks up to see it open slightly, and a splash of green hair pokes inside. 

"Mark? Dinner's ready, are- Why are ye sittin' in th' dark? Are ye feelin' okay?" 

Mark has to physically swallow his concerns down before he can answer. He can't let this drag him down tonight. He doesn't want to make Jack feel like he's done something wrong. He can sort out his feelings tomorrow, after.. After he takes Jack home. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm starvin', though!" He grins at the android as he stands, walking to the door. Jack grins back, and- God, it makes Mark's chest ache to see that smile.

"Good!" The android nods. "Cause, I didn't really know what t' make ye, so.. I kinda made a buncha stuff. I hope ye don't mind." He looks a little sheepish, but he just grins, and Mark's heart flutters in his chest. 

"I don't mind at all."

"Well, it was th' least I could do. I.. Really wanted t' say thanks, Mark. Ye've helped me so much, even though ye didn't hafta. Ye fixed me up, helped me find out who I belong to, an' ye're gonna help me get home.. It means a lot t' me." 

Mark has to look away. Jack looks so human in this moment- His voice is so happy, his eyes are so earnest. 

God. Maybe Danny and Arin were right. 

He looks back to see Jack watching him, those blue eyes wide, concerned. Mark smiles, reaching up and fluffing Jack's bright green hair. "Ya gonna stand there all night? Cause I'm gonna go eat."

Dinner nearly kills Mark. Jack doesn't eat- He's a Replica, he doesn't have to. But he does sit with Mark and talk to him. He talks about being so grateful for Mark, how excited he is to get back to his owner. He has no idea that each word is ripping away pieces of Mark's heart. By the time Mark can excuse himself to go to bed, he's near tears. 

He falls asleep not long after he crawls into bed, dreading the day to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so- This wasn't the chapter I planned on posting and it's shorter than I'd like, but I wanted to get this out to show I'm not dead? I'm so sorry for the delay between chapters and I'm so grateful to everyone that's supported this and my other works in my absence. More coming soon, I promise!
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for coming, if you liked it, PUNCH that kudos button in the face, LIKE A BOSS!  
> And, high fives all around. *wa-pish, wa-pish*  
> So thank you and I will see all you dudes.. In the next chapter!


	4. You Are Not A Human Being

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They learn the truth.

The morning comes far too soon. Mark's entire frame feels heavy as he climbs out of bed, into the shower. He spends.. He isn't even sure how long he's stood in front of his mirror, bracing himself on the counter and feeling sick with dread. 

He doesn't want to take Jack back to his owner. Just the idea is enough to turn his stomach and make him want to throw up. He does what he can to push through it, though, and he gets dressed. 

Jack's waiting for him, sitting on the couch, clearly anxious. As soon as he spots Mark, the android leaps to his feet. 

"Mark! G'mornin'! How'd ye sleep?"

Mark does his best to smile, even though it doesn't reach his eyes. 

"Pretty good. You ready to go?"

Jack grins, nodding enthusiastically. He rushes for the door, though he doesn't get more than ten feet or so in front of Mark before he stops and turns, waiting for the mechanic. 

Mark follows along behind Jack, occasionally glancing at the map he has pulled up on the interface in his glasses. This.. Seán, lives only a few blocks from where Jon found Jack, close to the rich part of town. It isn't a surprise, that Jack's owner lives there- Replicas are expensive to have built, and even moreso to pay for their upkeep. 

The engineer in Mark gets the better of him, and he begins to concentrate on thinking about Replicas. The ideal for a Replica is to be built when the owner or original the Replica is based on is between five and ten years old. The owner and Replica spend their formative years getting to know each other, and depending on the wishes of the owner, the Replica can either spend this time learning to mimic the original in every way, or the Replica can- for lack of a better term, become their own person. 

Ideally, a Replica should get a complete upgrade twice a year. Software upgrades technically aren't needed, since Replicas are designed to learn from the moment they're activated, but Replicas are designed to "grow" alongside their owner.

So, if Seán and his family followed that particular guideline, Seán is probably around 25-30. Jack doesn't look much older than that. 

"Mark? Mark, did ye hear me?" 

Mark jerks slightly, realizing Jack has stopped in front of him and is watching him with concern. 

"Sorry, I was just thinking. What were you saying?"

Jack frowns a little, but he repeats himself for Mark. 

"I asked if we were close. We've been walkin' a while." 

Mark glances up at the map in the upper corner of his glasses. 

"Oh. We're a few streets over, we need to take the next left." 

A grin spreads over Jack's face, and he turns, following Mark's directions. Mark follows along behind him, keeping quiet as they get closer. He stops when they reach the end of a driveway and his map feature tells him they've reached their destination. 

It's a fairly large property- not quite large enough to be considered a mansion, but it's quite clear the family is well off. There's a pair of cars parked in the driveway, so hopefully that means Seán or a member of his family is home. 

Jack turns to glance at Mark, suddenly looking nervous. "Should we just.. Go knock?" He asks, his voice shaking slightly. 

As much as Mark wants to turn and run, to drag Jack away from this house.. He knows he can't. He promised Jack he'd bring him back to his owner, and he intends to do that. 

"Yeah. C'mon, let's go meet your family." He says, forcing a smile. 

Each step toward the door is a piece of his heart breaking. By the time they reach the door, he's afraid he'll just break down where he stands.

He has to remind himself to keep breathing as they glance at each other, and Mark watches Jack's hand lift, and knock on the door. It's quiet for a few moments, and Mark has a desperate, hopeful moment where he believes no one's home. But he hears shuffling from inside, and his heart is in his throat as the door swings open. 

A brunette woman stands at the door, maybe in her late twenties, but no older. She looks confusedly at Mark for a moment before her eyes settle on Jack, and it's like watching a train wreck. 

Jack's face lights up, and he grins at her. But Mark sees the moment the confusion dissipates, and becomes anger. She turns her gaze to Mark, and glares at him as she speaks. It's clear she's related to Seán, since her accent matches Jack's perfectly. 

"Where did ye find this hunk o' scrap?"

There's something in her voice that tells Mark they should leave as quickly as possible, but Jack- Poor, confused Jack- doesn't see what Mark does, so he smiles at her.

"Someone found me in an alleyw-"

The brunette woman turns to Jack, her voice dripping venom as she addresses him. 

"I wasn't talking to you, robot."

"Hey! Give him a break. He was broken, and I fixed him and helped him get back here. He just wants to get back to his owner.. Seán, right? Is he here?"

The woman leans against the door, shaking her head in disbelief, and she scoffs. 

"No. Look, I'm sure ye thought ye were doin' th' right thing or whatever by bringin' him back here, but ye've wasted yer time, and mine. Do us both a favor an' throw it in a river. I don't want it comin' back here."

She starts to shut the door, but Mark moves forward, slamming his hand on the door and keeping her from closing it. "Throw him in- Are you insane? Look, just tell us where Seán is, so Jack can get back to-"

The woman pushes Mark backward, and he nearly trips into Jack, who's standing behind him, trembling slightly. 

"Ye wanna find Seán? Then go t' th' cemetery. My brother's dead."

With that, she slams the door in Mark's face.

Mark is stunned. Jack's owner is dead? He turns to see Jack's normally bright blue eyes go dim, and there are already tears streaming down his cheeks. 

"Jack-"

The Replica shakes his head, turning, and he starts to walk away. Mark follows quickly, grabbing Jack's shoulder. "Hey, wait up, Jack.."

The Replica won't look up, won't meet his eyes, and his voice is trembling when he speaks. 

"Mark.. Thank you, fer all ye did fer me. I appreciate.. Everything ye did, an'.. An' I'm sorry fer wastin' yet time." He turns to start walking again, but Mark grabs him before he can get away. 

"Jack, stop, please. Don't apologize. You didn't waste my time. And where are you going?"

"What does it matter..? I don't have an owner anymore. An' ye heard what she said. I'm n-not.. Wanted. I may as well've stayed in that alley and been taken apart fer spare parts."

It's heartbreaking to hear Jack talk like this, and it nearly brings Mark to tears to hear how that woman crushed Jack's spirit so easily. 

"That's not true, Jack, Jesus Christ. I want you. I'm sorry about Seán, I really am. But.. If you don't have an owner, you can stay with me." He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "I.. I've been happier the last few days than I have been in months. Maybe even years. And it's because-.. Because of you. It's been amazing having you help around the shop, around my house.. Just having your company. So, she was wrong. You are wanted. I want you. Please, don't go?"

Jack finally looks up at Mark, his blue eyes wide, and the engineer watches his eyes light back up. 

"Ye promise ye're not just sayin' that?" 

"I promise."

Jack glanced away, lifting his sleeve to rub at his cheeks, and Mark can see him trying to hide a smile behind his sleeve. 

"Ye just want company fer Tim, 's all."

Mark laughs, nodding. "Aw, you found me out. I just don't wanna hafta program something to keep my lil' toolbox company."

Jack nods silently, lowering his arm and still glancing away. When he moves, it's quick, and Mark is caught by surprise when Jack's arms wrap around him, and the Replica buries his head in Mark's shoulder.

"Ye're sure ye don't mind me stayin'?"

Mark wraps an arm around Jack's shoulders, holding him tightly, and strokes the Replica's fluffy green hair. 

"Promise, Jack."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the truth comes out! Seán, Jack's original owner, has passed away. I'm not going to just leave it at that, though I'm not sure if I'll just have Mark do some research, or if I'll write a full chapter about Jack and Seán at some point. We'll see. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for coming, if you liked it, PUNCH that kudos button in the face, LIKE A BOSS!  
> And, high fives all around. *wa-pish, wa-pish*  
> So thank you and I will see all you dudes.. In the next chapter!


End file.
